The following editorial appeared in the Tacoma News Tribune this morning:
Notre Dame Cathedral’s dreadful after-hours fire Monday was an inferno felt across the globe.
From the banks of the Seine River to living rooms in the South Sound, people mourned damage to religious artifacts, 800-year-old roof beams and the fallen 19th Century spire. But they also joined in relief that nobody died, many priceless treasures were rescued and the grand Gothic edifice didn’t burn to the ground.
It’s only natural that so many in the Tacoma area would feel connected to Notre Dame de Paris, a bucket-list destination for people of faith and an architectural wonder for the world. Countless honeymoons, college study abroad trips and other adventures have led to its steps. Even homebodies have traveled there, like Quasimoto’s boon companions, through the magic of literature or Disney animation.
During this holiest week of the Christian calendar, Notre Dame should stand as a reminder of the many beautiful sacred spaces we have in Tacoma, also vulnerable to being lost for all time.
Historic churches should be protected from fire hazards, of course, but the greater risk is more subtle: Local leaders must preserve them from neglect, decay, financial challenges, development pressures and, ultimately, the wrecking ball.
In terms of Catholic heritage and prominence on the local skyline, Tacoma’s version of Notre Dame is Holy Rosary church. Overlooking southbound Interstate 5 with its 210-foot steeple, the Gothic Revival-style sanctuary founded by German immigrants will turn 100 years old next year.
But Holy Rosary faces its own existential threat. As News Tribune writer Craig Sailor reported in March, the church has deteriorated to the point that a chain-link fence surrounds the building, marking it as unsafe to occupy since a chunk of plaster crashed down last fall. The Archdiocese told us Wednesday it’s cooperating with the parish on a “detailed Due Diligence analysis to determine next steps.”
An estimated $10 million is needed to save the Tacoma icon. But the Archdiocese isn’t responsible for repair expenses and the parish likely doesn’t have the wherewithal.
Read more here: https://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/editorials/article229382964.html